Machine for wiring fence-pickets



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W CALLAWAY, Sr MACHINE POR WIRING FENCE PIGKETS. No. 479,626.

Patented July 26, 1892.

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(No Model.)v

W GALLAWAY, Sr MAGHINE PoR WIRING FENCE PIGKETS.

No. 479,626. Patented July 26, 1892.

WH/VESSES UNITEn STATES ATENT OFFICE.l

WILLIAM OALLAIVAY, SR., OF KNOX, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK B. YARBRO, OF KEWANNA, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR WIRING FENCE-PICKETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,626, dated July 26, 1892.

Application tiled March 5, 1892. Serial No. 423'890- (N0 model- .To aZZ whom it may concern: each end. These heads or cylinders are pro- Be itknown thatLWILLIAM OALLAWAY, Sr., vided with heads 10, having rectangular slots a citizen of the United States, and a resident 12 and bosses 13 on their inner sides, proof Knox, in the county of Starke and State of vided with lugs 14, which engage with the 55 Indiana, have invented certain new and usenotches 9. The slots 12 are aligned with each ful Improvements in Machines for Viring other, and passing therethrough at the cen- Fence-Pickets; and I do herebydeclare that ter are headed screw-bolts 15, by which the the followingis afull, clear, and exact descripheads are securely held to t-he hubs, so as to tion of the invention, which willenable others rotate therewith. .Through these slots pass 6o 1o skilled in the art to which it appertains to the fence-wires, which are separated from make and use the same, reference being had each other by the bolts l5. One of said hubs to the accompanying drawings, which form a is provided with a recess on its outer face to part of this specification. receive a slotted lever 16, which is held in My invention relates to improvements in place by the screw-bolts 15, passing through 65 machines for wiring fence-pickets, the object the slot. At or near the centers the hubs are being to provide an improved construction of provided or formed with a series of peripheral the same, whereby I attain superior advancogs 17, with which engages an endless chain tages with respect to simplicity, economy, and 1S, which chain, intermediate of the center efficiency. and top and bottom hubs, passes upon the 7o zo The invention consists in the novel coninside of the sleeves 6, by means of which struction and combination of parts hereinatsaid chains are forced or bulged inwardly at ter fully described and claimed. their points, and consequently are caused to In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is engage with the cogs 17 without liability of a perspective view of a fence in the process being displaced. A short distance from the 75 of construction by my improved machine; upright 3 is a parallel board 18, secured to Fig.2 is a vertical section on'the line xx, Fig. the base l and block t and separated from 3. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the said uprights by means of spacing-blocks 19. same. Fig. ais a detail View of one of the The object of this board is to prevent the twisters, and Fig. 5 isadetail view showing the pickets from coming in contact with the 8o 3o spring-gage at the lower end of the uprights. twisters, and it is provided with openings In the said drawings the numeral l desigaligned therewith for the passage of the fencenates a base provided with rollers 2, which rest wires. upon the ground and enable the machine to The numeral 2O denotes two stiff vertical be readily moved toward and from the slats wires or small rods secured to the block 4 at 85 or pickets in the performance of the work. each side of the notch or slot 5 and to the Secured to this base are two uprights 28M and base l, passing through intermediate screw- 3, connected together at the top by means of eyes 2l, attached to board 18, forming guides a block or plate 4, one edge of which projects by which the pickets are guided to the fencebeyond the rear upright 3, and is provided wires. 4o with a slot 5 to receive the edge of the picket Pivoted Vto a bail 22, secured to the upper to be wired and prevent the same from turnside ot' block 4, is a spacing-gage consisting ing. The uprights 2 and 3 are a short disof a metal bar bent upon itself at the center tance apart, so as to form a space for the and then the ends bent at right angles,forrn twister-operating devices, and intermediate ing two arms 23, with a series of apertures 45 of their ends are also connected by means of 23l to receive the removable spacing-rod 24 screw-bolts 7, provided with sleeves (i, which and the retaining-rod 25. The other portion loosely revolve therein. Near each end and 26 of the gage serves as a handle for operatat the center the uprights are provided with ing the gage. aligned annular openings, in which are lo- The numeral 27 denotesabrace-rod secured roo 5o cated the twisters, each consisting of a meat one end to the base l and passing up betallic hub or cylinder 8, having notches 9 at tween staples 27 on the uprights 3 and 2a and around and in front of upright 2a, to which it is secured, forming a handle 28, by which the machine may be moved to and from the pickets.

The operation will be readily understood by reference to Fig. l. Two parallel fencewires are passed through the twisters and stretched in the usual manner. A picket is then inserted in the notch or slot in block 4 and forced down between the strands, being guided by the wires 20. The twisters are then operated by turning the lever 16, which will cause all of the twisters to be rotated simultaneously by means of the endless chain and cogs. The number of twists given the wires will ofcourse depend upon the number of turns given to the lever, a half-turn thereof simply crossing the wires without twisting them. The retaining-rod 25 is now removed and the spacing-gage turned up until the arms 23 assume a vertical position. The machine is then drawn away from the wired picket and anew picketisintroduced between the strands and the gage turned down until its arms 23 embrace said last-mentioned picket, the arms 24 abutting against said last-wired picket,and the retaining-rod 25 then inserted through the apertures in said arms to hold and retain the new picket in place while being wired. The twisters are then again operated, the gage thrown up out of engagement with the picket, and the operation repeated. By means of the series of apertures 23a the bar 24 may be moved nearer to or farther from the upright 3, whereby the spacing of the pickets may be varied.

' The rod 25 prevents backward movement of gage consists of a spring-metal plate 30, one

end of which is secured to the base, while the free end projects forwardly, so as to strike or abut against the last picket wired during the operation of twisting. After the picket is wired the apparatus is pulled forward, the plate sliding from beneath the end of the picket, when its free end will spring up so as to strike said picket when the apparatus is pushed back, and thus limit its movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a fence-wiring machine, the combination, with the base, the uprights, the block at the top, having a slot or notch therein, the gage consisting of the bent metal rod pivoted to said block and having the two arms provided with a series of apertures, the adjustable spacing-rod for said apertures, and the vertical guide-wires, of the twisters having peripheral cogs, the endless chain engaging therewith, the screw-bolts intermediate of the center and end twisters foi-holding the chain in engagement with the cogs, and means for actuating the twisters, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a fence-wiring machine, the combination, with the base, the uprights, the block at the top, having a slot or notch therein, the vertical guide-wires, the twisters havingperipheral cogs, the endless chain, the screwbolts, and the sleeves loosely mounted thereon, of the gage consisting of the bent metal rod pivoted to said block, having the two arms provided with a series of apertures, the adjustable spacing-rod for said apertures, the spring-gage plate secured to the base, and the rod for limiting the movement of the picket being wired, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM CALLAWAY, SR;

WVitnesses:

WILLIAM GILEs, ISAAC B. IRvINc. 

